Menomonee Falls mural artists, Stacie Estrada and Liz Hoover, braved the chilly January temps to speak to our group January 25, 2022. Mural art bring unique challenges. Painting to such a large scale is the first. Another is the consideration that because mural art is public art, designs may need to be approved by the local government and/or building it’s to be painted on.
Liz Hoover painted the “Althea” mural that lives in the alley off the east side Appleton Avenue, just north of Main Street. The alley is dedicated solely to Menomonee Falls-based artists. Althea means “healing power” which Liz pulled through with bright colors and flowers.
During quarantine, Liz started her business, Tetrahedron Art, to sell her art. Her surrealist approach to portraiture replaces heads with objects. Liz claims this is because she struggles painting faces. She likes to work large-scale and works hidden messages into the title or piece itself.
Guild member and Art Lounge owner, Stacie Estrada, led a team to complete the Welcome to the Falls mural on the Main Street wall of Nino’s Bakery. Stacie was there to answer the call for help when Downtown Menomonee Falls was left in a tough situation—the original mural artist left the prominent visual unfinished. Following another artist’s vision proved challenging, but Stacie’s team brought it to fruition in late fall of 2020.
Krueger’s wanted to join in on the mural tour and hired Stacie to paint their 96-foot wall during the summer of 2021. Her company of painters presented a theme incorporating famous artworks and artists along an extended path to Village Park. “A Timeless Walk in the Park” is Menomonee Falls’ largest mural to date and impossible to capture in one photo! Liz was a part of Stacie’s mural team at Krueger’s.
Her most recent mural, “Breaking through History,” is the on the side of the white barn at Old Falls Village. This mural was definitely the largest scale and highest requiring a lift, beyond her scaffolding! Stacie commented that because of being on scaffolding or a lift, they discovered what a challenge it was not to be able to step back and take a look every so often!
